Police confronted a suspect at gunpoint after a call that he was pointing a silver pellet gun at cars.
Michael Petersen, 62, was arrested on charges of attempted aggravated battery and evidencing prejudice while committing an offense Sunday afternoon.
At 2:14 p.m., Petersen pointed his pellet gun at James Breedon, of Gainesville, as he drove west on Southwest 16th Avenue, according to a GPD arrest report.
Gainesville Police went to the bus stop at 716 SW 16th Ave. and found Peterson with what looked like a handgun.
The three officers ordered Petersen repeatedly to drop what they thought was his handgun. Once they detained him, they realized the gun was a pellet gun.
Petersen said he had been pointing the pellet gun at cars “because he thought it was funny,” according to an email from GPD spokesman Ben Tobias.
Petersen said he had the pellet gun because he was going to go to the Bo Diddley Community Plaza and point it “at the black people so they don’t f--k with me,” according to the report.
He said he was convinced the “black people” on the plaza would respect him after he scared them.
Petersen is being held on a $10,000 bond.
Contact Benjamin S. Brasch at bbrasch@alligator.org.
